Comments for new quaker owner

Spend as much time as possible sitting next to the cage reading, eating, sometimes talking sweetly to the bird. If the bird is already hand tame, then watch the body language for cues when it does and does not wish to be handled.

If the bird "expands" when you put your hand toward it, the freeze right where you are and don't move any closer. If the bird relaxes, then you can keep moving a little closer. Take it slow and easy, it is VERY hard to undo the damage done if you cause the bird to not trust you.

We have several parrot training articles on our Parrot Training page that will help you along with some health related articles that will help you have a healthy bird.

If your bird was not weaned to pellets, then you will need to read our Switching Birds To Pellets article to help you switch your bird to a high quality pellet diet. Never feed your bird colored pellets or the cheap pellets with lots of chemicals in them, unless that is what the bird was weaned to. Then just slowly start switching the bird to a healthier diet.

Please also look at our Toxic / Non-toxic for birds list to make sure your bird doesn't die from breathing or chewing something toxic. Keep the bird off the floor, you bring in stuff on your shoes that is toxic, birds can get trapped places, chew toxic things and get stepped on.